New York legislation expands biodiesel blending in heating oil

Houston (Platts)--24 Jun 2013 439 pm EDT/2039 GMT

Biodiesel industry leaders and market sources Monday applauded new
legislation in New York that will encourage expanded use of biodiesel.

The New York State Assembly and Senate passed legislation Friday that
sets a new standard for all heating oil sold in the state, requiring it to
contain at least 2% biodiesel by 2015. The product is also known as B2 or by
its commercial name, Bioheat.

"America's advanced biofuel and Bioheat are a great fit for New York's
heating oil market," said Shelby Neal, National Biodiesel Board Director of
State Governmental Affairs. "Creating a standard that includes at least 2%
biodiesel will replace about 30 million gallons of petroleum annually with a
cleaner burning, renewable fuel."

Roughly half of the biodiesel produced in the US is soy methyl ether,
which uses soybean oil as the primary feedstock. In the first quarter of
2013, 51.86% of product was soy methyl ether, according to the US Energy
Information Administration's latest monthly biodiesel production report.

"New York State's crop farmers are growing more and more soybeans every
year," said Julia Robbins, executive director, New York Corn and Soybean
Association. "This policy will help provide New York farmers with a new
market for the state's soybean oil."

New York, the largest municipal consumer of heating oil in the country,
previously instituted a citywide 2% biodiesel requirement in October 2012.

"Extensive testing has clearly shown that biodiesel blended with
traditional heating oil is safe, seamless, and actually improves fuel
efficiency through cleaning and preserving equipment," said John Maniscalco,
CEO of the New York Oil Heating Association. "This law extends these
tremendous benefits to all New Yorkers and will provide the state with the
cleanest, most sustainable heating oil in the country."

The legislation calls for all heating oil sold in the city of New York,
Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland counties to contain at least 2%
biodiesel by October 1, 2014, and all heating oil sold statewide to meet this
standard by July 1, 2015. The legislation will become effective upon the
governor's signature.